1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to amusement devices, and more particularly to a pair of platform devices having step-like surfaces which are manipulated in alternating sequence in cooperation with a flexible coil spring toy to transfer the coils of the flexible coil spring toy in a motion descending successively-presented step-like surfaces and give the appearance that the toy is walking down a set of stairs.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Amusement devices employing a flexible coil spring toy device are known in the art. There are several patents which disclose various apparatus used in combination with flexible coil spring devices. None of these patents disclose an amusement device auxiliary to the flexible coil spring toy which provides a human operator with a test of skill to maintain the flexible coil spring toy in motion.
James, U.S. Pat. No. 2,415,012 discloses a flexible coil helical spring toy adapted to walk and oscillate. The patent is directed toward a spring structure having substantially no lateral force between turns in closed position when no external force is acting. In the rest position, each coil contacts an adjacent one. The spring cross section is of a shape which has essentially lower torsional stiffness for a given cross sectional area than a square to produce a low natural frequency. There is no suggestion of a platform device moved synchronous to the spring action for manipulating the spring toy.
Sabo, U.S. Pat. No. 2,854,786 discloses an amusement device employing a flexible coil spring having a plurality of balls therein and end plates at each end. A frame having a pivotal parallelogram linkage moves the end plates in alternating elevational relation to transfer the major portion of the spring and balls from one end to the other.
Bischoff, U.S. Pat. No. 3,047,980 discloses a circular board which is rockable and rotatable and a playing piece comprising a pair of eccentrically weighted flat bottom members arranged in side-by-side relation and joined by a coil spring member which moves about in a random manner on the board when it is rocked.
Tarow et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,532 discloses a motorized coil spring amusement device including a housing containing a motor with a track driven by the motor having dwell and flat portions on which a pair of spaced rollers roll. A shaft connects each roller to a plate. A coil spring is affixed at each end to each plate. As the track is rotated, the plates are raised and lowered, causing the coils of the spring to be moved back and forth between the plates.
The present invention is distinguished over the prior art in general, and these patents in particular by a pair of platform devices used for interaction with a flexible coil spring toy which have a plurality of flat step-like surfaces separated vertically and horizontally corresponding to the periodic step-walking motion of the flexible coil spring toy. The platform devices are manipulated in an alternating sequence in cooperation with the motion of the flexible coil spring toy to give the appearance that the toy is walking down a set of stairs. In the preferred embodiment, the platform devices have a handle and are held and manipulated by a human operator. The spring momentum transfers the coils of the spring from one surface of the device to the next lowermost surface of the device as the spring's adjacent coils successively sweep through the path of an arc. When a certain amount of coils have been moved to the lower surface, the momentum causes the trailing coils to move over the center of mass of the flexible coil spring and land onto another lower surface to give the appearance that the flexible coil spring toy is walking down a set of stairs. When the spring toy reaches the lowermost surface of one of the devices, the other device is placed in position to enable the spring toy to land on its uppermost surface. The manipulation of the devices is continued to repeatedly transfer the spring toy from one device to the other for amusement.